Chapter AH, P.E.O., has awardedChapter AH, P.E.O., has awarded Program for Continuing Education Grants totaling $7,000 to four ATU students. Pictured are Georganne Rollans (PCE committee member); Vanessa Blanco ($2,000 toward her major of Physician Assistant); Alma Montez ($1,500 toward her major of Physician Assistant); Kim Hon ($1,500 toward her major of Middle School Education in English and Social Studies); Linda Jackson ($2,000 toward her major of Nursing and Sociology...

Dogs know what you're saying, study suggestsBERLIN -- Scientists have found evidence to support what many dog owners have long believed: Man's best friend really does understand some of what we're saying. Researchers in Hungary scanned the brains of dogs as they were listening to their trainer speaking to determine which parts of the brain they were using. They found that dogs processed words with the left hemisphere and used the right hemisphere to process pitch -- just like people. Wh...

PCSO launches website featureThe Pope County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) launched their new website earlier this month and have just announced a new featured recently added to the site -- a jail roster of current inmates. Having the jail roster online, which can be accessed at popecoso.org/inmate-roster, will now allow the public to view photos and booking details for individuals in the detention center as well as those released within the last 48 hours. The PCSO website -- w...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

2016The 2016 Russellville Christmas Parade has been set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. All entries for this year's parade must have a Christmas theme. Those wishing to participate can pick up an entry form at the Recreation and Parks Department office, located at 1000 East Parkway Drive in Russellville, or they can be downloaded from www.russellvillearkansas.org. Entry fee for a float is $25 and a commercial entry other than a float is $100...

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Courier staff reportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Keating speaks to RotaryTHE COURIER / Sumbitted Sara Keating, park superintendent of the Lake Dardanelle State Park, spoke at the Russellville Downtown Rotary Club at Arkansas Tech University. She talked about the 52 state parks in Arkansas and activities including eagle watching tours, kayak tours and a basket weaving workshop coming up Nov. 19. For more information about Lake Dardanelle State Park, call 479-967-5516.

Community people: Bryan Fisher and Kristy BayerTHE COURIER / Submitted Arkansas Tech University Director of Athletic Relations and Russellville Lions member Bryan Fisher (left) introduced Kristy Bayer, who is now beginning her 13th season as Tech's head volleyball coach.

Volunteers needed for Public Lands Day CleanupAcross the nation on Sept. 24, volunteers will be taking part in National Public Lands Day. In celebration of National Public Lands Day, Lake Dardanelle State Park will host its annual cleanup in conjunction with the Great Arkansas Cleanup. Every year, volunteers pick up hundreds of pounds of litter, improving the health and quality of our public areas for people and wildlife. Volunteers clean both within the park and across the community. Lak...

Watch for bus drivers, riders this fallSchool is back in swing and brings many annual activities with it; parent-teacher conferences, shorter days and sooner bedtimes. However, car riders and commuter parents aren't the only ones taking to the streets this fall; bus riders and drivers also return, and school officials said locals should be watching for them. Atkins Superintendent Joe Fisher said every year his school district is looking for drivers. The search process, though, is m...

Community people: Atkins Middle School SOMTHE COURIER / Submitted Atkins Middle School August Students of the Month are pictured from left to right: fifth-grade, Tanner Hegeman; sixth-grade, Carter Cheek; seventh-grade, Wyatt Coffman; and eighth-grade, Callie Harvill.

Website to assist in state missing persons casesLITTLE ROCK -- Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, along with Rep. Bill Gossage and Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC) Director Jay Winters, unveiled a website, hosted by ACIC, to assist with the more than 500 active Arkansas missing persons cases. NeverForgotten.ar.gov, which was launched today, enables the public to access information on missing persons cases with an easy-to-use searchable database. "Since I became Attorney Gene...

Action taken to halt DOE projectTwo landowner groups along the proposed $2 billion Plains and Clean Line project filed a legal complaint recently against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Southwestern Power Administration over the use of federal eminent domain powers in Arkansas to benefit a Texas for-profit venture group. The Plains and Eastern Clean Line is an approximately 700-mile-long direct current transmission line that would deliver electricity from the Okl...

Circulation manager retires after 37 yearsIf it's one thing Mike Geiss has learned in nearly four decades in the newspaper business, there's nothing like the carriers and customers who know your name. "Carriers simply don't get the credit they deserve," he said. Geiss started his newspaper career as a carrier for the Kansas City Star. Now after 37 years, he has decided to retire after 15 years at The Courier. "The Courier has been very fortunate to have had a circulation professional ...

Junior Auxiliary of Russellville works to meet students' needsFor The Courier Junior Auxiliary of Russellville recently provided hygiene supplies to school nurses in the Russellville School District. Supplies included, but not limited to, lice kits, Chapstick, body wash, underwear, socks and feminine hygiene products. "We appreciate the hygiene products and supplies more than you will ever know! When the products are delivered, it brings tears to our eyes knowing that we will have supplies to provide to ...

Community people: Downtown Rotary Club and Lyle ManningTHE COURIER / Submitted Lyle Manning of the Boys and Girls club spoke to the Russellville Downtown Rotary Club about the USDA food program where they feed a hot meal and a snack to every child every day at three locations, the homework center and their five recreational sports leagues. They serve approximately 300 kids a day ages 6-18. Pictured left to right are Rotarian Sherry Polsgrove, Lyle and Rotarian Beverly Cooper.

Wilson Residence Hall returns to serviceSomething historic became new again at Arkansas Tech University on Saturday. Wilson Residence Hall, a structure that dates back to the beginning of the institution more than 100 years ago, re-opened and welcomed its fall 2016 freshmen residents after being closed since spring 2015 for renovations. By the time the returning students move in and class begins on Wednesday, Aug. 24, the refurbished Wilson Residence Hall will house 164 students. Me...

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BY SAM STRASNERwww.atu.eduThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Interim chief no moreThe biggest motivation for Russellville's new fire chief is to live up to his colleagues' expectations. Kirk Slone, a Russellville firefighter since 1992 who was named interim chief June 5, became the new chief last week during a press conference inside the Central Station fire engine bay. He wants to live up to their expectations because they "went to bat" for him in a big way the last couple of months. Several battalion chiefs and firefighte...

Community people: St. John Catholic SchoolTHE COURIER / Submitted St. John Catholic School in Russellville conducted its annual parent orientation and open house on Aug. 11. Parents were given information regarding policies and procedures and received the parent/student handbook and visited classrooms. An ice cream social was provided following the open house.